


Restless spirits

by OneWithoutAName



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Horror, CherikWeek2020, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ghosts, M/M, No Beach Divorce, Ouija, Tries to be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:27:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24554638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneWithoutAName/pseuds/OneWithoutAName
Summary: Raven finds an ouija board from the attic and wants to try it out. Some of the others find this a waste of time, others think it might be a fun way to spend a rainy November evening. After all, what could happen? Ghosts aren't real.Right?
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier
Comments: 12
Kudos: 36
Collections: Cherik Week 2020





	Restless spirits

**Author's Note:**

> This is more like a set up for a fic. I might come back and write more, I have ideas, but I didn't have time to write the whole thing (^-^')7   
> Still, I hope you enjoy!

“This is stupid.” Erik deadpanned as they all made their way in to the library.

“Why, is the great Magneto scared?” Raven teased as she led them to a big table and set the dusty cardboard box on it.

“No, there is nothing to be scared of. And for that exact reason this whole thing is pointless.” Erik looked at Charles with subtle pleading look. He too must think that this was ridiculous. But Charles just shrugged with a smile.

“I don’t know Erik, I think this might be a good way of bonding.” The telepath mused and Erik couldn’t believe that he was actually agreeing to be a part of this.

“And if there is really ghosts, then what better place for them to be than an old mansion like this!” Sean hopped in as he sat down. Hank was shaking his head.

“There is no such things as ghosts. There is no scientific evidence-“, Hank tried to rationalise, but Alex cut him off.

“Just sit down Beast and enjoy the experience.” He said and with a glare Hank too sat down and with final sigh Erik did so too.

“Let’s see here…” Raven grinned like a maniac as she opened the box and pulled a wooden board out of it. The board had letters and numbers painted on it, as well as words “yes” and “no” in both upper corners of it with illustrations of sun and moon. At the bottom, read the words “good bye” between stars. It looked well-crafted to Erik and the calligraphy used on the letters and numbers made the board seem older than it probably actually was. Raven lowered the board carefully down to the table before she fished a flat piece of wood shaped like a heart that had a hole in the middle from the box, before sweeping it down from the table.

“Do you even know how to use this?” Erik questioned the girl who gave him a side eyed glare.

“Of course! First we need a better atmosphere. Charles shut the lights and bring some candles.” She ordered and ignored her brother’s unamused look.

“I guess I have no other options here.” The brunette muttered and was already on his way to stand up when Erik used his powers to click the light switch and levitate two candlesticks to the table leaving them in the dim light of the fireplace. From Raven’s smirk he could tell this had been her plan all along.

“Oh, thank you, Erik.” Charles looked so delighted about this casual usage of his powers that Erik let it slide. He took a lighter from his pocket and lit the candles, still using his powers so he could enjoy Charles’ attention just a little bit longer. And if Raven looked just slightly irritated from this outcome, well Erik didn’t mind.

Probably for that reason her next words were spoken much louder than was necessary and made Sean jump in his chair.

“Now that that is out of the way, I want everyone to put one hand lightly on the planchette.” She tapped her hand on the piece of wood and after a second or two, everyone did as she asked. Erik was still thinking that this was stupid, but played along. For Charles. The November rain was beating against the window and the fire was crackling in the fireplace, filling the room with eerie ambience. Raven sat little straighter, taking her role as some kind of medium or something. “Open your minds and let the spirits of departed come to us. If there is a spirit here, give us a sign.” She spoke dramatically, and the boys were clearly holding their breath.

But nothing happened.

“Well that was anticlimactic.” Erik couldn’t help but taunt Raven and for that got a sharp kick to his shin. He managed to bit down a yelp that tried to escape him but exchanged glares with Raven.

 _‘Be nice, Erik.’_ Charles’ scolded him telepathically like he was a misbehaving student. Erik rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything more.

“Maybe there’s no one here.” Alex suggested and Hank rolled his eyes.

“I wonder why.” The blue scientist muttered.

“They just need more time. Or they are shy.” Raven assured and tried again. “Spirit, if you are here, give us a sign.” But again, nothing happened and Erik didn’t want to waste anymore of his evening doing this. Charles’ disappointment be damned. 

“I told you this is-“

He didn’t get a chance to finish, as the planchette started moving under their hands.

“What?”

“Wow!”

“Who’s doing this?”

“Shut it!”

The piece of wood moved until it was on top of “yes”, then stopped. Suddenly the room felt slightly colder. Nobody said anything for a moment, until Charles spoke softly, looking intrigued.

“Raven, I think you should ask them something.” His voice brought them back to the situation and Raven shook her head to clear it. After a short pause, she spoke.

“Do you know someone sitting on this table?” She asked and after a pregnant pause, the planchette moved again. This time, towards the letters painted on the board. “S-“, Raven spoke the letter aloud.

“Oh no!” Sean whimpered.

“-O-N. Son.” Raven concluded and the red head sighed from relief.

“Don’t get too excited, it could still mean you.” Alex teased and Sean turned to look at him with wide eyes.

“Don’t say that!” His voice cracked at the last word.

“You should ask them to specify.” Hank seemed suddenly be much more into this all than before. Raven nodded and looked up.

“Who is your son?” She asked and this time the planchette moved immediately, traveling along the board from letter to letter. “C-H-A-R-L-E-S.” Suddenly Charles seemed much tenser than before.

“Raven…” Charles’ voice had a warning tone, but the wood under their hands was moving again, this time without any question and with strange kind of urgency.

“What’s happening?”

“What does it say?”

“P-L-E-A-S-“, Raven said the letter’s aloud as Hank translated them to words.

“Please?”

“-E-D-O-N-T-H-“

“Don’t.”

“Raven!”

“-A-T-E-M-E.”

“Hate me.”

Charles shot up from his seat so quickly that the whole table shook, almost knocking the candlesticks down if Erik hadn’t caught them with his powers. The telepath looked impossibly pale in the low light and he was looking Raven with so much anger that Erik had never witnessed in the telepath’s eyes before. He was breathing heavily and his voice was shaky as he finally managed to speak.

“It’s not funny, Raven!” His voice cut through the air sharp like a whip and with that, he turned around and fled from the library.

“Charles wait!” Raven sounded frustrated as she called after her brother and stood up, but Erik pulled her to sit back down with his powers, using her belt buckle.

“Don’t.” He ordered as he stood up himself. He didn’t want her anywhere near Charles if she had somehow hurt him with this stupid stunt. Raven looked like she wanted to argue, but she was stuck on the chair now and Erik was already on his way to follow Charles.

“I didn’t do anything!” Raven shouted after him, but he ignored her.

The hallway was almost too bright for his eyes after the time they had spent in the library, but soon his eyes got used to it. Not like it mattered much this point as the hallways were already familiar to Erik and he could have followed Charles’ watch to the telepath’s bedroom blind. As he walked he cursed Raven and this stupid game. Whatever that had been, must really have upset Charles, because Erik had never seen his friend just flee like that from a situation. Out of two of them, Charles was usually the more level headed one, in control of his feelings and able to distant himself from a situation when he needed to see the whole picture. This kind of outburst was strange.

When Erik came to the door of Charles’ room, he wasn’t sure whether he should knock or just open the door and go in as he usually did. But as it turned out, he didn’t have to think for too long when Charles’ voice echoed in his head.

 _‘Go away Erik…’_ Any other day Erik might have listened to him, but even with his powers Charles sounded off. Tired and hurt.

 _‘If you really want me to go, you have to make me.’_ He sent back and walked inside.

Charles let him.

The room was dark, like putting the light on had been too much effort for Charles, who was standing stiffly near the window, his back to Erik who closed the door as he stepped in. He considered putting the main light on, but decided to turn on the table lamp beside the bed instead, letting it bathe the room with soft light. Charles didn’t say anything, he just watched out of the window, staring at the rain. He didn’t seem to be completely present. Slowly, Erik made his way to Charles and put his hands on his shoulders. He felt the younger man stiffen, but he didn’t pull away, so slowly, Erik wrapped his arms around him and tugged him against his chest. He wanted to do more. He wanted to comfort Charles and make him feel better. But he was utterly out of his depth here. He didn’t know what to do, so he just embraced his dear friend who held his heart and hoped it was enough.

After a long few minutes, Charles spoke faintly.

“I didn’t think she’d do that.” Erik could hear the same anger in his voice that had been there in the library, but much weaker now.

“I’m not sure what happened there.” He confessed, letting Charles decide how much he wanted to share. The telepath in his arms took couple shaky breaths before he spoke again.

“Those- Those were the last words I said to my father…” His voice was just above a whisper and suddenly the room seemed to be filled with guilt, sorrow and betrayal. “She knows how much I regretted them. She knows how much they still hurt me and she just used them for her entertainment like-“, Charles voice cut off as he broke in tears and Erik moved without thinking. He turned the smaller man around and then pulled him back against him. Charles hid his face against Erik’s chest, holding onto his turtleneck with desperate grip and let himself cry.

“Shhh. It’s alright. I’m here.” Erik soothed him, speaking gently as he stroked Charles back up and down and ran his fingers through the telepath’s hair. It was a mirror image of the nights when he had woken up with nightmares after Cuba and Charles had held him the similar way.

Charles stopped crying at some point, but didn’t pull away until much later, taking comfort in their embrace. When he did, Erik still didn’t let him go completely and held his hands, which felt too cold for his liking, in his, wanting to keep a connection between them.

“I’m sorry.” Charles said, trying to find other words to explain, but coming out empty.

“No need for that.” Erik shook his head and let Charles’ other hand go so he could wipe the tears from his cheeks. They felt almost as cold as the telepath’s hands were. “Do you want to talk about it?” He asked, but Charles shook his head.

“I’m not sure I can right now.” He answered, and Erik agreed that he did look exhausted.

“Alright.” He kissed Charles’ head and led him then to the bathroom.

They prepared for the bed in silence. Charles was still clearly thinking of what Raven had done and Erik was already planning to make her run extra laps until the end of the year. Although, Erik couldn’t push away the feeling that everything didn’t make sense here. Raven and Charles had fights every now and then, but those were short bickering most of the time. This seemed too cruel even for Raven to do, unless she had had miserable judgement skill when she planned this. And she had insisted that she hadn’t done anything. Erik needed to look closer to this. But all of that would need to wait until the morning. Right now the only place he wanted to be was beside Charles. They curled together under the covers and Erik stayed awake until Charles’ breathing became slow and steady. Only then he let his eyes close too.

If only he had kept his eyes open little while longer, he might have seen a silhouette of a transparent man standing in the room as a lightning lit up the room. 


End file.
